The Way We Were

May 7, 1925

It’s now an assured fact that Wrangell is to have a hospital. The need for a hospital has been felt for years. When the Arthur Yates Hospital in Kechikan was closed a few weeks ago, it seemed to be the general consensus of opinion that this was Wrangell’s opportunity, and no time was lost in taking up the matter with Bishop Rowe. Bishop stated he was agreeable to the hospital being moved to Wrangell, provided he became convinced that there are enough people who want it to ensure its success. After being advised of the proposition Bishop Rose had made before the Commercial Club, the various representatives from other organizaitons expressed themselves heartily in accord with the project. A resolution was unanimously adopted that the representativees present from the organizations were in favor of acccepting, with thanks for the very generous officer of Bishop Rowe. The plans for completing the origination were left with the executive committee of the Wrangell Chamber Club.

May 5, 1950

“A dance with a purpose” could well be an alternate title for the Girl Scouts May Dance this evening at the gym. The reason for the dance is to raise funds for the printing of a booklet on Wrangell to be given to tourists this summer as they take them on tour of points of interest. The Girl Scouts, under the leadership of Mrs. Frank Webb, met the boats, handed out the booklets and conducted tours to see these various interest points. The Scouts not only performed a civic duty but earned some money and gained a good deal of publicility for the town. At Christmas, they received numerous cards from people they had met on these tours. This year’s booklet, no mimeograph job, is to be a printed affair containing photographs and additional information. All business houses and organizations will be listed, as well as the churches.

May 7, 1975

About 20 vessels were operating out of Wrangell as the 1975 gillnetting season got underway. First day was April 27. Harbor Seafoods and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported 16 boats delivered an average of six fish per boat after the first two-day opening. The openings, for the time-being, have been set for a period of noon Sunday to noon Tuesday, one day shorter than the normal three-day-a-week fishery. All the fish taken in the Stikine area and delivered to Wrangell were large king salmon, it was reported. Light takes were expected for this early in the season. Heavier catches are anticipated beginning next week. During the gillnet season, trolling in the Stikine area has been cut back to a fishery coinciding with the gillnet opening.

May 4, 2000

The Inter-Island Ferry System is continuing to make progress with the complex project of providing additional ferry service to Southeast island communities. The final design for the ferries was approved just last week in Ketchikan, and the request for bids to build the first ferry will go out sometime in the next two weeks. Construction time is expected to be approximately one year. This means that at about this time next year the first of the new Inter Island Ferries, the Prince of Wales, will begin serving the Clark Bay (Hollis) to Ketchikan route. Schedules and other details will be established closer to the launch date.